Bioinformatic Analysis of an Aquaporin Gene from Upland Cotton

目的]对陆地棉水通道蛋白基因GhNIP5.1进行生物信息学分析，为深入研究陆地棉水通道蛋白的功能提供研究基础。方法]利用电子克隆的方法，获得棉花 GhNIP5.1基因的开放阅读框序列,并对该序列进行了生物信息学分析；利用已公布的棉花基因组测序结果，搜索获得 GhNIP5.1基因的编码区序列。结果]序列分析表明，所获得 cDNA序列具有完整的897 bp的开放阅读框，编码298个氨基酸残基；该氨基酸序列具有 MIP超家族典型的 NPA保守序列；它同葡萄和拟南芥的NIP5.1氨基酸序列的一致性最高，分别为89.3%和83.2%，在拟南芥 NIP家族9个成员中，GhNIP5.1蛋白的氨基酸序列同 AtNIP5.1同源性最高；该蛋白的三维结构也同拟南芥AtNIP5.1的非常相似；GhNIP5.1基因的编码区全长2067 bp，包含4个外显子和3个内含子，所有内含子的左右边界均为 GT-AG结构。结论] GhNIP5.1基因可能具有同拟南芥AtNIP5.1类似的生理功能。

Bioinformatic Analysis of an Aquaporin Gene from Upland Cotton

Objective] The aim of this study was to identify the roles of an aquaporin gene GhNIP5.1 in upland cotton （Gossypium hirsutum） by bioinformatics method, so as to provide theoretical basis for further research on aquaporins in upland cotton. Method] In silico molecular cloning was adopted to obtain an ORF sequence of GhNIP5.1 gene, which was then analyzed by the methods of bioinformatics. The coding region of GhNIP5.1 gene was obtained by analyzing the cotton genome se-quence published in NCBI. Result] This cDNA sequence had a complete open reading frame of 897 bp and encoded 298 amino acid residues, including the con-served domain NPA （Asn-Pro-Ala） of MIP superfamily. The similarities of GhNIP5.1 deduced amino acid sequences from upland cotton with grape and Arabidopsis, were up to 89.3% and 83.2%, respectively. GhNIP5.1 was most similar in homology and 3-D structure of proteins to AtNIP5.1 among the nine members of NIP family in Arabidopsis. The coding region length of GhNIP5.1 gene was 2 067 bp, and it con-tained three introns and four exons. Al the exon-intron junctions of the gene con-tained the consensus splicing site pair GT-AG. Conclusion] GhNIP5.1 gene probably has similar physiological functions with Arabidopsis AtNIP5.1.